Regenerative muffle-furnace.



N0. 805,372. PATENTED NOV. 2l, 1905. W. R. MILLER.

REGENERATIVB MUPFLE FURNAGE.

APPLIOATIYON FILED Nov. 23, 1904.

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. f m WZQSSS: hl liu/enla?? WQ ,P6-@LOU No. 805,372. PATENIED 110V. 21, 1905. W. R. MILLER.

REGENERATIVE MUPFLE PURNACE. APPLICATION FILED Nov. z3, 1904.

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Wsses: zvelzuf l :No.s'osmz. PATBNTIID Nov.z1,19os.

W. R. MILLER.

REGENERATIVE MUPFLE PURNACE. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 2a, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED Nov. 21, 1905.

W. R. MILLER. REGBNBRATIVE MUFPLE FURNAGB.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23, 1904.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

WILLIAM R. MILLER, PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE FORTER-MILLER ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

REGENERATIVE MuFFLE-FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2l, 1905.

Application filed November 23, 1904. Serial No. 234,085

T0 all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. MILLER, a citizen of the United. States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements-in Regenerative Mulie-Furnaces, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part of the specification, in which* Figure l is a front elevation, partly in section, indicated by the line I I of Fig. 2, showing my improved regenerative mufIie-furnace. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view indicated by the line II II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line III III of Fig. 5. Fig. l is a similar view on the line IV IV of Fig. 5. tional view on the line V V of Fig. l.

My invention refers to improvements in regenerative muiIle-furnaces, having for its object to supply heat of combustion by radiation to one or more furnace-chambers inclosed within comparatively thin walls, around which the gases of combustion circulate, the structure embodying regenerative checker-work of the usual Siemens construction, together with the customary supply and exhaust mains and flues, reversingvalves, &c.

The class of work to which the furnace is particularly applicable is the annealing of porcelain-lined ware, as bath-tubs, &c., and similar articles requiring a continued exposure to a regular heat of high degree. It is also essential that all parts of the radiatingchambers shall be subject to substantially the same heat. In recuperative furnaces or other constructions where the heat is continuously supplied from one side and circulates uniformly in one direction such a regular diffusion and consequent resulting action are impossible, nor can a sufliciently high degree of heat be attained or maintained. By my construction I utilize regenerating-chambers so arranged with relation to the furnace-chambers as to provide a circulating course for the gases of combustion in one direction for a given period and of then reversing the circulation, as shall be hereinafter described, so as to secure the objects in view, the entire apparatus being arranged and designed to secure the best and most Fig. 5 is a horizontal sec.

economical results with a view of continuous operation of the furnace and thework to be done.

Referring now to the drawings, 2 represents the gas-chamber, and 3 the air-chamber, of a Siemens furnace, to which gas and air, respectively, are furnished-the gas from a gas-main 4 through the reversing-valve 5.

and iiue 6, the air from valve 7 and flue 8. It will be understood that these furnaces, as usual, are built in pairs, as shown, whereby the incoming air and gas become heated by passing through the checker-work and after circulating around the radiating-fines give up their latent heat, which is absorbed by the checker-work of the opposite side, the waste gases passing outwardly to the chimney-flue 9 through the registering-valves. This construction does not per se form any part of my present invention, being well known and understood without further description.

Located above the regenerative chambers, preferably at each side, are the heatingchambers 10, of suitable size and shape to receive the article to be annealed, provided with the customary doors 1.1 and suitable raising mechanism. (Not shown.) Entirely surrounding and inclosing the chamber 10 is a thin wall 12, arched at the top and having vertical sides, composed of suitable brick or refractory material. These side walls preferably converge toward each end of the furnace longitudinally, as shown in Fig. 2, providing barrel-shaped chambers. Outwardly beyond the wall 12 and preferably correspondin therewith in arrangement are the surroun ing walls 13, between which and wall l2 are a series of intervening arched ports or passages 14, through which the gases of combustion circulate, as indicated by the arrows, transverse partition-walls 15 being interposed at intervals to strengthen the structure, thus providing a plurality of closely-adjacent ilues. All of these ports 14 communicate at opposite sides by downward extensions 14 with the common combustionchambers into which the gas and air passing from the checker-work are discharged, and it will thus be seen that the circulation of such gases is continuously aroundthe exterior of the thin partitions l2, the entire inner area of furnace-chambers 10 being thus exposed IOO to radiated heat. time the valves are reversed, causing a conse uent reversal of the circulation, practica ly without interruption, and by this means the articles contained in the radiating furnace-chambers 10 are subjected to a very even continuous heat, which is of the highest efficiency for the purpose of annealing or similar work.

It will be understood that the entire furnace construction is reinforced and stayed by suitable buckstaves, tie-rods, &c., and when thus constructed it is capable of producing the most beneficial results in the manner noted.

The furnaces are most economically and advantageously built in pairs or series of pairs, as shown, although it is obvious that but a single radiating-furnace may be used with the regenerative chambers shown and that the number of heating-chambers with relation to the regenerative chambers is not necessarily fixed, but may be varied to suit different requirements or use. The arched partitions 12 and the corresponding ports 14 may be of semicircular form, as shown, or of other degree of curvature, as desired, according to the conditions of use, &c.

Other changes or variations in the design, construction, or various details maybe made by the skilled mechanic without departing from the scope of the following claims.

What I claim isF 1. The combination with the chambers of a regenerative furnace, of aradiating heatingchamber inclosed within surrounding side walls and an arched roof, an outer surrounding wall conforming thereto, with intervening continuous arched gas-circulation ports communicatin with the regenerative chambers, substantia ly as set forth.

2. The combination with the chambers of a regenerative furnace, of a radiating heatingchamber inclosed within surrounding side Walls and an arched roof, an outer surrounding wall conforming thereto, with intervening continuous arched gas-circulation ports com- After a short interval of.'

municating with the regenerative chambers, with a series of transverse strengthening-partitions providing a plurality of parallal circulating-gas ports, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a pair of regenerative chambers provided with gas and air inlet ports and radiating checker-work, of superimposed chambers provided with arched surrounding thin inclosing walls, outer surrounding walls, and continuous intervening arched gas-circulation ports communicatingl at opposite sides of the regenerativefu-rnace-chambers, and traversing the exterior of the chamber-inclosing radiating walls, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a pair of regenerative chambers provided with gas and air inlet ports and radiating checker-Work, of superimposed chambers provided With surrounding thin inclosing walls, outer surrounding walls, and continuous intervening gas-circulation ports communicating at opposite sides of the regenerative furnace-chambers, and traversing the exterior of the chamber-inclosing radiating walls, with transverse strengthsuing-partitions dividing the gas-circulation openin s, into a series of parallel flues, substantia ly as set forth.

5. The combination with apair of regenerative chambers provided with checker-Work and gas and air inlet ports, of a plurality of superimposed radiatin -chambers formed by thin vertical side wall arched at the top and converging toward each end, outer side walls similarly arched at the top and providing ay connected series of intervening arched continuous gas-circulating ports, with downwardly-extending ports communicating with the regenerative chambers at the outer sides of the radiating-chambers respectively, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM R. MILLER.

Witnesses :v

JAS. J. MGAFEE, C. M. CLARKE. 

